Forged in Fire
by AlphaEph19
Summary: The shinobi way of life is not kind to families. Many drift apart, or are torn apart. Sometimes the blood that binds relatives together becomes a curse. But not all families are linked by blood. Some rise up out of suffering, formed by individuals who have had enough of being broken down - they want to build anew. These are the strongest families... the ones forged in fire. AU
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **My apologies for starting a new story when I have so many others in need of an update. But this idea wouldn't let me go, so there was nothing to do but write it. If you like the premise, please review and let me know!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto

**Chapter 1: The Mission**

Kakashi woke with a gasp. He was clammy with sweat. A familiar face danced at the edge of his memory, fading quickly now that he was awake, but not quickly enough.

_Obito…_ The face of Kakashi's deceased teammate smiled at him, undeterred by the blood dripping from an empty eye socket. Kakashi's gorge rose, and he felt like throwing up. Or crying.

Instead he kicked off his sheets and stood up, grabbing a water bottle he kept within reach for nights like these. He wondered why Obito had appeared in his nightmare, when it was Rin's bloody corpse that most often haunted his dreams.

_Oh, yeah… the massacre._ Small wonder Kakashi had relived Obito's death that night, when almost all of Obito's relatives had been slaughtered the night before. Kakashi was no longer an ANBU Captain, so he wasn't part of the search party attempting to track down Uchiha Itachi and bring the murderer to justice.

_I'm glad to have no part of it_, Kakashi reflected as he pulled on his uniform. Itachi was not the kind of shinobi who would leave a trail. He would disappear like a ghost, no matter how talented the trackers sent to find him.

No, Itachi was gone, and it was up to the shinobi who remained to make sure Konoha didn't collapse after the loss of its most prominent clan, and the majority of its police force.

_I almost envy the dead_, thought Kakashi, who always felt a bid morbid in the mornings. _They go on alone, saddling the living with their problems._

He didn't know whom he meant specifically: Obito, Rin… maybe even his father or Minato-sensei. All of them, most likely. In any case, it didn't matter. Another day was approaching, and Kakashi had to meet it. The prospect of more sleep held no appeal – sleep would only bring fresh nightmares.

Kakashi vaulted out his open window, taking to the rooftops of Konoha. His target was the Hokage's Tower, standing proudly in the center of the village. It was still dark, and would be for many hours yet, but that didn't matter. On today of all days, the Hokage would still be hard at work.

_Save me from the troubles of a Kage… _Kakashi mused, pushing chakra through his legs as he flew from roof to roof. The old man was probably locked in a round of emergency meetings with clan heads and village advisors, figuring out what to do now that the Uchiha had been slaughtered.

_At least when I wake up, MY nightmares end!_

Kakashi gained access to the Tower with little trouble – the ANBU stationed outside were actually his former teammates, and they weren't about to bar their captain's way, even if he didn't technically hold that title anymore. Two chuunin stood outside the door to the Hokage's study, many floors above the ground. Kakashi didn't know them – they must be newly promoted. It was interesting that ANBU weren't acting as the Hokage's immediate guards, considering the recent threat to village security…

"He's meeting with Danzou," said the chuunin on the left, giving Kakashi a respectful nod. There were few shinobi who didn't know the famed Copy-nin, if not by sight, then certainly by reputation.

"Then I'll wait," Kakashi replied, glad his mask hid his grimace when he heard the name of the Hokage's guest.

_Danzou… should have guessed that old buzzard would be around. Nothing draws his attention faster than fresh corpses…_

As it turned out, Kakashi didn't have to wait very long. He had just started flipping through Jiraiya's latest volume when the door swung open. Danzou paused when he saw Kakashi, his un-bandaged eye narrowing.

"Kakashi."

"Danzou."

That was all that really needed to be said. Kakashi's time as a Root operative was perhaps his third-worst regret, after killing Rin and losing Obito to the landslide. Danzou had been overjoyed to secure Kakashi's services following the war with Iwa, but that whole episode with Kinoe-turned-Tenzou had pushed Kakashi back to the proper path.

He now served Sarutobi more faithfully than he'd ever served Danzou, but he still respected the old war hawk's ruthlessness. Danzou was a powerful opponent, and utterly devoted to Konoha – but only the Konoha _he_ wanted. A good man to have at your side… but not necessarily at your back.

Kakashi had to wonder, though, whether Danzou knew anything more about the Uchiha Massacre than most of the jounin did. Danzou would have been keeping a close eye on the Military Police, especially when Fugaku and his cronies began taking a hard line on Uchiha superiority. In fact, the recent slaughter solved many of Danzou's problems rather neatly.

_There's no such thing as coincidence…_

As a shinobi trained to look 'underneath the underneath,' Kakashi suspected that there was much he didn't know about the Uchiha Massacre. As a shinobi who'd recently gotten out of ANBU, however, he knew as much as he ever wanted to. Let the Hokage and his councilors keep their dark secrets; Kakashi was satisfied just following orders. He had enough ghosts riding on his shoulders.

The Third Hokage was waiting for Kakashi, and raised his head when the Copy-nin entered the study.

"Ah… I wondered when you would be arriving. Most jounin appeared last night, as soon as they heard the warning bells."

Kakashi shrugged. "I went to the compound to look for myself. I didn't receive a summons, so I thought you had all the help you needed." There was also the fact that he didn't want to be anywhere near that madhouse that the Tower would have been last night.

Sarutobi smiled wearily. "I did indeed… and perhaps more than I wanted. You saw Danzou, I presume."

"Yes."

"As you might expect, he's requested full authority in dismantling what's left of the Military Police. The Uchiha were always the backbone of that group, and now that they're gone…"

Kakashi's mouth twisted. "As long as he doesn't crow too loudly. Danzou may be overjoyed that the Uchiha aren't around to make trouble, but there are many shinobi on the police force who were close to the Uchiha. Danzou will cause a lot of anti-Council sentiment if he's not careful."

Sarutobi sighed. "I believe I can trust him to be diplomatic."

_Even if you can't trust him for anything else, _Kakashi added silently.

"Enough of Danzou," the Hokage declared, eyes narrowing with new resolve. "As you haven't been briefed, you may not have heard yet. There was one survivor."

_That_ certainly captured Kakashi's attention. He hadn't thought Itachi was the kind to leave loose ends. "Who?"

"Uchiha Sasuke. Itachi's little brother."

"Damn. That… complicates things."

"You were always one for understatement. My heart rejoices that someone escaped this carnage, but I fear that life for young Sasuke will be the purest torture for many years yet. No one, no matter what age, can suffer such trauma without lasting scars."

Kakashi's fists tightened at his sides, and he spoke in a low voice that promised danger. "You know Danzou will try to collect him. The last Uchiha, at his most emotionally vulnerable… he won't be able to stop himself. That's how he operates. It's how he got me," Kakashi recalled, unable to hide his bitterness and self-loathing.

"I don't think we have to worry about Danzou recruiting young Sasuke," Sarutobi said, an unfathomable expression crossing his face.

"Why not?"

"Call it a hunch. There are too many risks involved, especially now that Sasuke is so visible. Not that I intend to be lax, of course… it wouldn't be the first time Danzou has surprised me with what he's capable of." Sarutobi's nod to Kakashi was half reminder, half apology.

Kakashi bowed his head. "I was the only one responsible for my folly, Hokage-sama… but about Sasuke. How do you intend to keep him safe? The sharingan is now an endangered ability. Even assuming Danzou doesn't try to recruit him for Root, he'll be a walking target. Kidnappers could name their price for a pair of Uchiha eyes, and any other shinobi village would pay it twice over. Sasuke is a real player now, in a game he's far too young to understand."

Sarutobi chuckled, a dry sound that had little to do with humor. "Careful, Kakashi… if you continue to speak my own thoughts back to me, I won't have any choice but to make you my successor."

Kakashi visibly shuddered. As far as nightmares went, that one was near the top of his list.

"Jiraiya is watching him for the moment," Sarutobi went on. "I summoned him immediately as soon as word of the massacre reached me. Thankfully, he was already in Fire Country, so he got here yesterday morning."

Kakashi was glad to hear it. The Toad Sannin was devoted to the Third Hokage, and had no connections to Danzou or his war-mongering faction. He was also arguably the strongest shinobi currently living in the village – although Kakashi had his suspicions about Danzou's true strength – so there was no one better suited to protect Sasuke.

"This is only a temporary measure, of course," Sarutobi said, taking a moment to light his pipe. "Jiraiya is by far our most effective gatherer of intelligence, and the village can't afford to lose him indefinitely. To that end, I've been thinking about which shinobi to assign to look after Sasuke."

Kakashi suddenly felt a sensation he recognized as that of being just about to walk into an ambush. It felt like a dozen kunai were streaking through the air straight for his heart. "Hokage-sama," he began desperately, but the Hokage rode right over his instinctive protest.

"It has to be you, Kakashi. You're clearly the right person for the job."

"And why is that?" Kakashi demanded, suddenly angry. "Because I have Obito's sharingan?"

Sarutobi held his gaze with unwavering calm. "Not only that. You have more experience in ANBU than any shinobi currently serving. Your skills make you the perfect bodyguard, and aside from Jiraiya there are few shinobi even close to your level. If anyone can ensure Sasuke's safety it's you, Kakashi. Finally, you're one of the few shinobi whom I _know_ I can trust. Konoha is a rotting cesspool full of secrets, and contrary to popular belief, they're not all mine. What if I accidentally assign an undercover Root agent to protect Sasuke, and Danzou orders that agent to eliminate the last Uchiha? No… it has to be you."

"Damn it, I am _not_ the one to deal with a traumatized child!" Kakashi yelled, driven to his breaking point. He still broke down into uncontrollable sobs at the War Memorial, and woke in the middle of the night from nightmares more often than not. What did the Hokage expect him to say to this child?

It took a lot to drive the Third Hokage to open annoyance, but it seemed Kakashi had managed it. "You're not supposed to be his psychotherapist!" Sarutobi snapped. "Just keep him alive!"

The anger suddenly leaked out of him, leaving the Hokage looking almost deflated. "Kakashi… please. I need you to do this."

Just like that Kakashi's rage vanished, replaced by shame. This was the man who came out of retirement to save a village from self-destructing after the Kyuubi's attack. This was the man who'd given him a second chance after he'd joined Root. The debt Kakashi owed to this man personally, and the duty he owed him as his Hokage… both told him what he needed to do.

Kakashi's shoulders slumped. "Fine… I'll play babysitter. But only because you said please."

"_Thank_ you, Kakashi. You don't know what this means to me, and to the village."

"Yeah, yeah." Kakashi's mind was already awhirl with plans, now that he knew there was no dodging this mission.

_I might be a chronic insomniac and closet pervert, but I'm still a jounin of Konoha, and the safety of Obito's last living relative in Konoha is in my hands. I'll be damned before I let anything happen to him!_

"If this is going to be a long-term mission," Kakashi mused, "then I'm going to need a partner. I have to sleep sometime, and even with my ninken I can't lock down a compound or an apartment by myself. No more than two though… we don't want too many random variables."

Kakashi considered his options, forgetting about the Hokage completely as he weighed the advantages and disadvantages of specific shinobi. He would have enjoyed working with Asuma, but the Hokage's son was still off protecting the daimyo as one of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi.

There was Guy, but… Kakashi shuddered. He had a healthy respect for his 'Eternal Rival's' abilities, but he didn't relish the prospect of spending twenty-four hours a day in the spandex-clad jounin's company. Kurenai was a possible choice, but genjutsu was more of a precision tool. Sasuke needed protectors capable of neutralizing enemies before they came close.

Then he thought of Tenzou. The Mokuton user was now in ANBU, having finally won free of Danzou's influence. Kakashi trusted Tenzou as much as he did his yearmates from the Academy, and the Special Jounin's abilities were certainly suited to bodyguard work.

The Hokage coughed gently. "Ah, Kakashi? I've already chosen your partner."

He looked up, startled. "Eh? What's that?"

"I said, I've already decided your partner for the mission. The ANBU guarding the Tower had orders to fetch her as soon as you showed, so she should be here any moment now. She has considerable experience in long-term missions, although more on the infiltration side than protection. I trust her as much as I do you. Most importantly, she may be able to help Sasuke with what he's going through. Tragic as it is, she knows what it is to be betrayed by someone she once loved."

As far as Kakashi was aware, there was only one kunoichi who fit that description.

"Oh, sh-"

"Hey there, Cyclops! Long time no see!" Mitarashi Anko burst through the door to the Hokage's study, flashing Kakashi her signature bloodthirsty grin. She had added a tan trenchcoat to her repertoire since the last time he'd seen her, which did a little to preserve her modesty – a _very_ little, considering the skin-tight mesh outfit she wore underneath.

Kakashi turned to the Hokage helplessly, his dismay showing even through his mask. "Why _her_, of all people?!"

"I'm the most screwed-up shinobi on the roster," Anko answered instead, laughing as if she'd made the funniest joke in the world. "Who better to look after a screwed-up kid?"

The Hokage winced. "I disagree with your phrasing, Anko, but the sentiment is somewhat accurate. You won't belittle his loss, nor will you repulse him with useless pity. You're skilled enough to guard him, yet you can also empathize with him."

"I thought the point was to protect the kid, not traumatize him further," Kakashi said, eyeing Anko skeptically. Maybe that was a little harsh, but he wasn't about to temper his words. Anko had heard much worse in her time, and from people who actually doubted her loyalty to Konoha. It wasn't her loyalty that had Kakashi worried, though.

"Hey!" she protested, shaking a finger at him in mock outrage. "I'm a people person!"

"Says the kunoichi I once saw lick an enemy's blood off the edge of her kunai!"

Anko laughed outright at that. "Still remember that mission, huh? I'm touched! And like I said… I _love_ people! All kinds…" she licked her lips with evident satisfaction.

Sarutobi coughed again, trying to get them back on track. "Kakashi, you're in charge of this mission. It's an indefinite A-rank, and the primary objective is to keep Sasuke alive. The secondary objective is to evaluate his mental state, and to make sure that what he's going through doesn't permanently harm his development as a shinobi. I expect the two of you to work well together, and to keep me informed of any significant developments. Understood?"

Kakashi stopped glaring at Anko long enough to come to attention. "Yes, Hokage-sama. Let me just state, for the record, that I seriously doubt the wisdom of these orders."

"Doubt them all you want, as long as you obey."

Anko laughed and nudged him with deceptive strength. "What, don't tell me you want to look after the little brat on your own? I shudder to think what bad habits he'd pick up from a role model like you… you'd probably turn him into a pervert before he turned ten! No, what little Sasuke needs is a woman's tender heart and nurturing hand."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, wondering how Anko managed to say that with a straight face. He seriously doubted whether she'd ever 'nurtured' anything in her life, and as for her 'tender heart'… yeah, he'd believe that when he saw it.

"You two are dismissed," the Hokage declared. "Jiraiya is with Sasuke in a secure medical ward in the basement. Anko can take you there, Kakashi."

Anko grabbed Kakashi's arm like an infatuated schoolgirl. "Come on, honey," she crooned in an exaggerated falsetto. "Let's go see our little boy."

Kakashi knew he was going to hate this mission.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Hey all! Here's another chapter, since the ideas are flowing fast. I'm sticking to shorter chapters so far, but they'll probably get longer as the story progresses. And in case I didn't make it clear last time, the divergence point for this story was the Hokage's decision to assign two bodyguards to watch over Sasuke. All subsequent changes to canon stem ultimately from that one choice.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto

**Chapter 2: The Child**

Jiraiya was waiting for Kakashi and Anko outside of a top-secret medical ward in the Hokage Tower, located several floors below the ground. It was a room with glass walls, so that nothing going on inside could happen without the guards noticing. At the moment, Jiraiya was the only guard.

Inside the room, Uchiha Sasuke sat upright on a hospital bed. The boy held himself like a stiff post and stared fixedly at nothing. A pair of balding men in cheap suits stood a few feet away from him, one of them clutching a clipboard.

"Hey, you two," Jiraiya said when he spotted Kakashi and Anko. He gave them a half-hearted wave. "You made it."

"You _must_ be upset, you old coot," Anko observed. "No leer? No creepy hug that's just an excuse to cop a feel?"

Jiraiya summoned a weary laugh. "Would you like me to cop a feel?"

"I think I'd prefer an honest grope to this sad-sack shit. Cheer up, for Kami's sake! Who are the creeps in the suits?"

"Psychologists," Jiraiya explained. "The Hokage thought it might be better to have Sasuke examined by civilians with backgrounds in childhood trauma. "

"Shrinks?!" Anko spat, as if it were a dirty word. "_Civilian_ shrinks?"

"What's wrong with psychologists?" Kakashi asked mildly. To be honest, he agreed with Anko whole-heartedly, but _someone_ had to be professional here.

"I'll tell you what's wrong with 'em," Anko said grimly. "They're a bunch of emotional vampires who get off on hearing people's worst memories. They don't even do any good! I swear, the Hokage made me see every single shrink in Konoha after Orochimaru abandoned me, and not a single one of them helped a fraction as much as a bottle of liquor and a good lay."

Caught off-guard, Kakashi had a coughing fit. Jiraiya pounded him unhelpfully on the back. "Ah… Anko, not that I have anything against your coping mechanisms, but, well… Sasuke's _seven!_"

Anko shrugged. "I'm not gonna buy him a whore or anything like that. Geez, Jiraiya, you make me sound so irresponsible! Let's just give him a few shots of whiskey, ok? Nothing like puking your guts out to get your mind off your inner demons."

She waltzed into the medical ward, circling around behind the civilians like a wolf stalking its prey. Jiraiya caught Kakashi's eye and shrugged.

"Well… she's not wrong."

Kakashi gave a long-suffering sigh and followed Anko. He wasn't sure who he should be more worried about – Sasuke, or the shrinks.

Kakashi arrived in time to hear the terrified psychologists explaining the situation to Anko.

"He's disengaged from the present," said the shrink on the left.

"It's a form of extreme shock," added his partner. "The child's body is here, but his mind is miles away."

"Is that so?" Anko said, eyeing Sasuke shrewdly. "So the kid's catatonic, huh? I don't buy it."

"Ma'am, I assure you-"

The shrink who spoke was forced to dive out of the way of one of Anko's kunai. It flew straight for Sasuke's head, nearly giving Kakashi a heart attack. But Sasuke moved at the last second, ducking aside and turning a half-somersault to land on the tiled floor, knees bent and arms raised to defend his face. He had the look of a feral animal, backed into a corner.

"Well…" said Anko with satisfaction. "Not so 'disengaged' after all. Go back to your dissertations, shrinks. I'll take it from here."

The psychologists began to protest, quite volubly, until Kakashi grabbed them by their collars and dragged them gently but insistently to the door. "I think they're done here," he said to Jiraiya. "Make sure they report to the Hokage before they leave."

For the first time that day, Jiraiya smiled with genuine warmth. "Will do, kid. I'll leave Sasuke with you two, then. Try not to let that hellcat bruise him too much."

Kakashi inclined his head ironically, then rejoined Anko and Sasuke inside. Anko was engaging in a stare-off with the silent child.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, brat," she said at last. "Not unless you're asking for it, that is. Now, do you know why the two of us are here?"

No response. Sasuke relaxed his stance, but kept his mouth shut. Kakashi had to suppress a shiver when he saw the child's eyes – they were cold, dead orbs, devoid of light or warmth. He remembered a time when his own eyes looked exactly like Sasuke's… the days after he had discovered his father's corpse.

_We suffered similar pain_, Kakashi realized. _The pain of losing our entire family, and being abandoned by the person we loved most. Right now he's probably reliving the images, over and over. This room, me, Anko… I'll bet we don't even register as completely real right now. Reality for Sasuke is only the horror in his mind. _

"I won't ask you again," Anko said, her voice dropping to a warning growl. "Do you know why we're here?"

Sasuke remained silent. He began to turn away, possibly to walk back to the hospital bed. Anko pounced.

The last Uchiha found himself dangling by one leg, arms bound to his side with rope that he hadn't even seen unfurling. Anko's free hand held a kunai to the young boy's neck.

"We're here to babysit you, you little brat. And it's not a job I'm happy about, either. In fact, the need to abandon my missions to look after a baby like you is putting me in a _really_ bad mood. So… don't push me. When I ask you a question, you will respond. Is. That. Clear?"

Sasuke eyed the kunai, and Kakashi was glad to see a spark of fear come into those black eyes. Then he realized, a little too late, exactly how screwed up it was that he was _happy_ to see that fear.

He was debating at what point it would be necessary for him to step in, when Sasuke opened his mouth for the first time since before the massacre.

"Hn."

"A man of few words, eh? Meh… good enough." Anko flipped the Uchiha up and over, unraveling the rope binding him with a flick of her wrist. He landed with feline grace, backed up a step, and eyed her warily.

"Here's the deal, brat," Anko said, shaking a finger at him sternly. "I'm Anko, and the masked freak with the grandpa-hair is Kakashi. You do _exactly_ what we say, when we say it, and in return we'll make sure you live to see your tenth birthday. Got it?"

"Hn."

Anko gasped in mock astonishment. "What do you know, 'Kashi? He's a genius!"

"Don't call me that." Kakashi walked over to Sasuke, sizing him up openly. "We're truly sorry about your family," he said. He figured someone ought to say it, even though he could guess exactly what his words meant to Sasuke – that is to say, less than nothing. Sure enough, scorn flashed across Sasuke's face and disappeared a moment later. He didn't need platitudes from strangers, no matter how sincerely they were meant.

Kakashi sighed. "Let's get out of here. The hospital smell is making me sick."

oOoOo

Anko was glad to have this assignment, she really was. Being assigned to protect the last Uchiha clearly proved that the Hokage trusted her, and that meant a lot. Many Council members thought that Anko was still a traitor to the village, and should be thrown in jail, banished, or even executed. That last was Danzou's stance, the suspicious bastard.

If Anko carried out her duties well (meaning, if Sasuke didn't die), it would go a long way towards clearing her name. The elders would feel grateful to her, and the Hokage might trust her with more high-level missions.

She had been a little worried about an extended bodyguard detail, since work like that tended to dull a shinobi's reflexes. It didn't matter how dedicated you were – having to stay constantly alert, while usually being bored out of your mind, took a toll on the best of shinobi.

But the danger in this case was less than it could be, because of whom Anko had been paired with. Kakashi was a legend, and as his partner Anko would get to train exclusively with the Copy-nin for the duration of their assignment. It meant that she had a unique chance to improve her own skills, coming closer than ever before to her goal of taking down Orochimaru.

There was really only one drawback to this mission, and it was sitting across from Anko at her dining-room table. Sasuke slouched in his chair and maintained a stony silence.

Now, Anko had plenty of experience with hostile interrogations. One of the reasons the Hokage valued her was her ability to extract information from high-value targets. One of Anko's few supporters in the village – she wouldn't call him a _friend_, exactly – was Morino Ibiki, and the head of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Unit had only praise for Anko's abilities.

She had broken iron-willed infiltrators from Suna, and out-crazied fanatical shinobi from the Bloody Mist. It was said by those in the trade that Anko could accomplish more with a kunai and her imagination than a veteran member of the Yamanaka clan could with his full range of mind-reading techniques.

Given Anko's experience and talent, staring down a child of seven should have been no problem. Yet Sasuke stubbornly clung to his silence, and he was even managing to make Anko uncomfortable – something she did _not_ appreciate.

Kakashi was better suited to maintaining tense silences, but he'd left for the evening, saying that there was something he needed 'to look into'. Anko tended to fill up silence with suggestive or threatening banter, neither of which were appropriate here. So… it was time to improvise.

"Well, then…" Anko said at last, folding her hands together and propping up her chin. "Looks like it's just the two of us until Kakashi gets back. Why don't we use this chance to get to know each other better?"

Anko immediately regretted that last sentence, as it was her preferred opener for interrogating a hostile suspect. Normally she'd be twirling a kunai casually with her pinky finger to set the proper tone, and her hands actually itched from the effort to stay still.

_Traumatized kid, traumatized kid, _Anko repeated silently like a mantra. _Must not lose temper. Must be patient… Gah!_

"Hn." Sasuke's grunt was the opposite of encouraging, but Anko plowed ahead.

"What do you do for fun? Do you like dolls? You look like the kind of kid who plays with dolls."

"No." His scornful expression spoke volumes more than his monosyllabic response.

Anko shrugged. "If you say so. What about food? You like dango?"

"Hn."

"You're a tough nut to crack, eh? Listen, kid, I'm gonna sit right here until you give me more than a grunt and a dirty look. Now, I once tortured a jounin from Suna for six months, breaking one bone a day until he talked. He was a tough bastard, trained all his life to withstand pain. Think about that, and ask yourself if you want to play this game with me."

Anko let Sasuke process that for a while, then pointed at him. "You. Talk."

Sasuke glared at her, challenge written plainly across his face. "This place is a dump."

Anko was startled into laughing, which spooked Sasuke more than her threat had.

_The kid's got a brass pair, all right._

Looking around, Anko had to admit the brat was right. Maybe she _should_ have cleaned up a bit, but then, she liked her place messy. She knew exactly where all the weapons were hidden, while an assailant would waste valuable seconds searching through all the clutter.

"I suppose it _would_ seem a bit low-rent compared with what you're used to," Anko agreed blandly, preparing to dig a little deeper. She wanted to see what would make Sasuke tick. "I bet your old house was always sparkling clean. I remember Fugaku being a bit anal about order-"

"Don't talk about my family!" Sasuke barked, jumping to his feet.

"Is that anger I see?" Anko shot back, smiling. "An actual, unfeigned emotion, unaccompanied by scornful expression or grunt? Here, kid… have a cookie."

"Shut up!" Sasuke shouted. "Don't treat me like a baby, and don't you dare talk about my family!"

_NOW we're getting somewhere!_

"Listen, kid," Anko waved her hand dismissively. "Best you learn this now, and from someone who isn't trying to kill you: life's a cruel joke, and people suck. I'm not gonna soften my words just 'cause you lost your ma and pa. So did a lot of people, me included. You don't like me talking about your family? Tough nuggets. What are you going to do about it?"

"I can stop you," Sasuke declared, holding himself as straight as possible.

_Not a bad idea,_ Anko realized._ If he's trying to kill me, then he won't be able to dwell on his memories._

"Why don't we take this outside, short stuff? I'm curious to see what skills you think you have. Don't worry, I won't hurt you… much."

oOoOo

The network of tunnels underneath Konoha was much as Kakashi remembered it: vast, claustrophobic, and depressing. He made his way along a path known only to Root operatives, turning dozens of times in near-total darkness. He sensed that he was being watched, but no one challenged him. Whether that was because he was expected or because his watchers didn't dare mess with him, Kakashi couldn't be sure.

He found Danzou exactly where he'd expected, in the war hawk's dank, cramped office in the heart of the subterranean maze. The office was sparsely furnished, with just one desk and a flickering light overhead. Danzou looked up from a heavy sheaf of papers, apparently unsurprised to see Kakashi standing before him.

Danzou chuckled drily. "Kakashi… I suppose it's too much to hope that you've come to your senses, and wish to return to the fold?"

Kakashi had not come here to waste time with small talk. "Stay away from Uchiha Sasuke."

As Danzou carefully controlled his reaction, Kakashi sensed a dozen chakra signatures appear nearby. If Danzou gave the word, Kakashi would have one hell of a fight on his hands. That was fine with Kakashi… in fact, his present mood might even be _improved_ with a grudge-match against Danzou and his cronies. The fact that he had very little chance of winning somehow didn't seem to matter all that much.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you mean." Danzou's craggy face was like lined stone.

"And _I'm_ sure you're full of shit. I don't know much, but I do know you're incapable of passing up a chance to brainwash someone with potential."

"If I'm incapable of stopping myself, then why did you waste your time coming down here?"

"You may be a conniving bastard, but you're not suicidal," Kakashi said, senses heightened in pre-battle readiness. "And that's what targeting the Uchiha boy would be: suicide."

"The Hokage has ordered the Uchiha child to be left alone, and the Hokage's word is law. I'm curious, however; _if_ I were so abysmally stupid as to disobey a direct order from the Hokage, why do you think you would be able to stop me? If my information is correct, you and Mitarashi Anko are the only shinobi tasked with Sasuke's protection. Do you honestly think you two would be enough, if anyone were to foolishly test the Hokage's will?"

"I hope we never find out," Kakashi said evenly, leaving Danzou to his papers. "Just remember what happened last time I went up against your cronies. I'm guessing a lot of resources goes into their brainwashing, and it'd be a shame to have all that go to waste."

Danzou let him have the last word, and the shadowy presence of the Root agents faded as they retreated farther into the darkness.

Kakashi had a lot to think about when he finally emerged from the network of tunnels, and could devote a portion of his mind to something other than staying alert for an ambush.

The truth was, Kakashi did not think his ultimatum to Danzou would have the least effect on how the old war hawk decided to act. No, Kakashi's true purpose in searching him out was to see his reaction when Kakashi warned him away.

And after seeing Danzou, Kakashi was puzzled. Sure, the old man had talked a big game. But Kakashi was absolutely certain – though he wasn't sure _why_ – that Danzou meant it when he said he wasn't planning to recruit Sasuke.

Of course Kakashi wasn't going to relax his vigilance by a hair. But the fact remained: he didn't think Danzou was planning to make a play for Sasuke. Which raised the question… why the hell not? In the absence of any other factors, Danzou would have been after Sasuke like a bull seeing red. Was his apparent restraint really because the last Uchiha was too visible, too well protected? Or was it something else?

All of Kakashi's instincts were screaming at him that there was a piece to this puzzle he didn't have yet. Whatever it was, the Hokage apparently didn't want him to know, or else the Hokage himself didn't know. But in the shinobi world, what you didn't know was often what ended up killing you. Worse, in this case, it might end up killing Sasuke.

Kakashi would not be doing his utmost to protect his charge unless he figured out the full story behind the Uchiha Massacre, and what, if any, role Danzou had played in it.

_I didn't want this mission, _Kakashi thought grimly as he moved at full speed across the rooftops towards Anko's house. _But it looks like I'm stuck with it. I couldn't save you, Obito… but I sure as hell won't let Sasuke die. I promise!_


End file.
